Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal has said that the development budget is a part of Finance Bill and it is approved by National Assembly, reported by Radio Pakistan. 

In a statement he said, according to the constitution, National Economic Council has only a consultative role regarding development budget.

Referring to the demand of Chief Ministers of Sindh, KP and Balochistan, Ahsan Iqbal said that the federal government cannot present a budget for three months.

He pointed out that after the 18th Amendment, the main focus of federal development budget has been on the national infrastructure. However some provinces wanted to include the provincial level schemes in the federal PSDP 2018-19.

The federal minister said special funds are usually allocated for under-developed provinces and the present government allocated record funds for Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.